Before dawn, does the road to the lost city appear? Zhao Chenghuang first set aside the other information, gazing at the full moon on the horizon and sensing the shifts in the power of the Moon. After sunset, night falls, and at that time the power of the Moon is at its weakest. By midnight, it reaches its peak, then begins to wane. As a spirit of night, the Night Wandering Deity can gauge the time based on the strength of the Moon's power. Of course, this requires an experienced Night Wandering Deity—someone who has undergone training and memorized the intensity of the Moon's power across different time periods. Less experienced deities, however, lack this ability. It is now one a.m.—Zhao Chenghuang sensed it for a few seconds and made an accurate judgment. At that moment, he heard Yuan Shǐ Tianzun speaking from nearby: "What time is it now? I feel it's two a.m." Indeed, a rookie Night Wandering Deity—no matter how strong his combat prowess—had exposed his lack of depth in the finer details! Zhao Chenghuang thought to himself. Sun Miaomiao furrowed her elegant and graceful brows, saying, "No, no—it's eleven p.m." The assessment of the strength of the yin energy was correct—both eleven p.m. and one a.m. carried equal yin energy—but it was reversed. Sun Elder's training of Miaomiao still needed improvement... Zhao Chenghuang shook his head. "I think it's two a.m." Yuan Ting said. Unbelievable! He hasn't been through enough training in the training camp... Zhao Chenghuang glanced at him, spoke with a calm tone, and delivered his words with a cold, composed demeanor. "It's one a.m. now." As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Chenghuang saw Yuan Shang, Sun Miaomiao, and Yuan Ting silently walk away. "He's not accurate at all." "Exactly—it's clearly two a.m. now." "We're not going to play along with him." Zhao Chenghuang gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, took a deep breath, and then looked toward the group gathered on the open ground, saying, "It's one a.m. now, still early for dawn. Before we enter the City of Lost Things, "There are night wanderers and earth spirits who have been overexerted—please report to me..." He methodically arranged the duties of patrols and guards, presenting himself as a clear leader. The spiritual travelers from the Mountain God's faction, upon glancing at Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn seated calmly on a stone, indifferent to everything, promptly followed Zhao Chenghuang's instructions—resting when needed, patrolling when assigned. On the clear and beautiful face of Asano Ryō, an expression of surprise froze her, and she stammered, "I... I can't defeat him." Kan Ya stood by, speechless—this Japanese girl was neither particularly dull nor unwise, but simply too earnest. Kan Ya explained, "Didn't you notice that no matter what Zhao Chenghuang says, everyone instinctively seeks Yuan Shi's opinion? Only when Yuan Shi doesn't object does Zhao Chenghuang's word carry weight. So, why should you be so upset over such a minor matter and challenge Zhao Chenghuang? After all, Yuan Shi himself doesn't care much about these trivial affairs. With Zhao Chenghuang present, he simply enjoys being spared the hassle." Asano Ryō pondered seriously and suddenly realized, "Ah—this is exactly what my father often emphasizes: political balance." "What kind of political balance?" the red-haired girl approached, eager to join the conversation, "Isn't political balance simply about eliminating one's political rivals?" As the three young ladies chattered excitedly, Zhang Yuanqing opened the leaderboard: 【1: Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, Night Traveler God, Level 3, 508 points】 【2: A-1, Witch-Guardian, Level 3, 230 points】 【3: Only I Am Supreme, Water Spirit, Level 3, 225 points】 【4: Zhao Chenghuang, Night Traveler God, Level 3, 220 points】 【5: Hundred Restrictions None, Enchanting Demon, Level 3, 215 points】 【6: Sun Miao Miao, Night Traveler God, Level 3, 213 points】 【7: Jiang Jingwei, Fire Master, Level 3, 200 points】 【8: Ji Lou Fish, Scout, Level 3, 190 points】 【9: Tashui Lingxiao, Witch-Guardian, Level 3, 180 points】 【10: I Am My Own Fate, Illusionist, Level 3, 138 points】 Except for the The rankings among the top twenty-four have undergone a dramatic transformation. Among positions 11 to 24, ten are from the Mountain God faction and four from the Mountain Spirit faction. Guan Ya has also climbed into the 20th spot. As long as she can maintain this standing, her promotion to Sage rank is well within reach. "Let's see that everyone following me makes it into the top twenty-four. Otherwise, they'll either give up on their Sage promotion or have to re-join the killing instance at year's end." "Kou Beiyue's ranking is a bit low—forty-second. For him, promotion to Sage isn't crucial; what matters most is keeping him alive." "I just need to eliminate both Ai Yi and Wuyi Duzhun, and then I'll be on par with the Demon King and the Female Marshal." Yet both of these are elite-level warriors. While Zhang Yuanqing still feels confident in one-on-one battles, the uncertainty increases significantly in team combat—killing them will prove quite challenging. The players ranked in the top five on the Kill List earn the highest points, but those who manage to secure a spot in the top five are far from novices The magical king must have been a double-agent, working in tandem with the evil faction, to wipe out nearly the entire official staff. Otherwise, his points would have been over a thousand—possibly even two thousand. In fact, based on the point totals, we can assess the actual combat strength of the magical king and the female marshal during their transcendental realm days. Zhang Yuanqing believes they wouldn't be much stronger than himself. Notably, the total number of people on the points leaderboard is sixty, with the Shang Gui and Shang Shen factions roughly in a 1:2 ratio. Zhang Yuanqing closed the points leaderboard and gently tapped his elbow against Guan Ya’s thigh, saying, "Guan Ya, I'll pillow your leg." Guan Ya: "Go away!" Zhang Yuanqing: "If you don't give me your leg, I'll go find the Peony Immortal." Guan Ya glared at him. Zhang Yuanqing then settled his head comfortably on the smooth, soft thigh, and was indeed not turned away. From the ambush in the maze to facing off alone against the entire array of the Mountain Ghosts, his spirit endured relentless attacks, growing increasingly weary until he soon fell into deep sleep. Unknown how long it had been, he was roused by Guan Ya, the mixed-blood beauty, who handed him a cluster of wild fruits while saying, "Dawn is approaching—eat something first. The peonies gathered these fruits in the forest—they're edible." Zhang Yuanqing, still dizzy, sat up slowly, took several deep breaths, and after drawing in sufficient oxygen, his mind cleared a little. He accepted the wild fruits from Guan Ya, ate them silently, and at the same time glanced at his companions on the open ground. They either sat there yawning or rose to stretch and move, their spirits fresh and alert, free from any sign of fatigue. "Clap! Clap!" Zhang Yuanqing waved his hands, drawing everyone's attention. People naturally set down whatever they were doing and turned to look at the young man who stepped onto the stone. Zhang Yuanqing stood upon the stone, speaking with a strong voice: "Ladies and gentlemen, dawn is approaching. We are heading to the city that has been lost, where we will face our final battle against the Mountain Ghost forces. This will undoubtedly be an incredibly perilous struggle. Each of us may fall—perhaps even I. All of you are seasoned travelers of the Spirit Realm, having already weathered countless battles between life and death. You have chosen to enter the killing dungeons, and thus, you have already demonstrated your resolve. I hope that once we enter the lost city, we will stand united, follow our commands, and together rise to the rank of Sage, facing a bright future ahead." Zhang Yuanqing shifted his tone and said, "To you, perhaps standing alone and repelling the assault from the Mountain Ghost faction is a heroic feat, something truly remarkable. But to me, this is far from the limit. I still have many cards left to play. Not only can I delay the attack for a while, but even breaking through the Mountain Ghost ranks is well within my reach. Every additional enemy I defeat adds one more spot for advancement—each spot means someone among you can rise to the rank of Sage. However, relying solely on my personal strength isn't enough. Ultimately, we all need to work together. I'll say it once more: follow orders, stay united—do you understand?" At this, the group of travelers' eyes brightened. Is the Yuanshishen still holding back reserves? Has the battle within the Temple of the Mountain God even reached his limit? "Understood!" They responded with enthusiasm, their expressions energized. So, painting the picture is indeed useful—it all depends on how well the leader paints it. … At the same time, Bai Wu Jian Bi stood upon the stone, gazing down at his companions, and declared with conviction: "As expected, the rules of the Lost City will be simple—no need for decryption, no need for exploration. The only criterion will be strong resistance, and combat, precisely what we excel at. "Master Yuan Shiyuan has exhausted all his reserves; we are fully aware of his strategies, and after a full night of deliberation, we have already devised effective countermeasures. "Yet they do not know that our reserves remain untouched. "How can the lawful, orderly professions possibly compete with us, the free agents? They are all trash. "With no reserves left, how can Master Yuan Shiyuan possibly stand against us? He too is trash. Friends, the Lost City presents our opportunity to eliminate the orderly practitioners—already, I can smell the sweetness and fragrance of their blood. What about you?" "Let's wipe them out!" The evil-oriented companions responded with great enthusiasm. At that moment, a ray of dawn streamed from the eastern horizon, the darkness receding like a tide, the sky turning serene and hazy. Dawn had arrived. …… 【Ping! The path to the Lost City has been unlocked—please reach it promptly.】 At this instant, all the spiritual travelers within the realm simultaneously unfolded their maps. A clear red route appeared across the vast primeval forest, leading toward the central basin. That was the Lost City. …… After walking along the marked red path for half an hour, the members of the Mountain God's faction finally crossed the dense primeval forest and saw the open sky, as well as the ruins stretching ahead. It felt as though they had entered another world—though this world too was heavily veiled in vegetation. Before them stood a high-rise roadway with its bridge deck broken, its load-bearing pillars standing alone, draped in moss, bearing witness to the passage of time and the sense of desolation. Zhang Yuanqing and the others looked out beyond the elevated highway, where a series of crumbling skyscrapers stood—exposed steel skeletons—some completely collapsed, others worn down by time, riddled with damage. Some were wrapped in lush green vines, the hard concrete serving as nourishment for the roots to grow and spread. The straight roads were cracked and covered in moss, which in turn provided a foundation for wild grasses to thrive. Vehicles were parked haphazardly along the streets, their bodies stained with gray and black rust, and wild grasses growing up from the dry, shriveled wheels. Nature had taken over everything. "It's truly breathtaking," Sun Miao-miao remarked. "I never imagined that after humans had vanished, cities would look like this." 【Ping! Congratulations on completing Subtask Two. Reward: 20 points.】 Subtask Two involved traversing the vast Forbidden Forest in search of the lost city. 【Ping! Subtask Four: Uncompleted Sacrificial Rite.】 】 【Task Description: Long ago, a powerful evil cultivator infiltrated a human city, controlling its inhabitants and offering the blood and souls of the innocent as sacrifices to a dreadful entity dwelling in the unseen realms, seeking to gain even greater strength.】 【In response, the dreadful entity descended into the realm of reality, only to be halted by the meddling Mountain God. The Mountain God solidified his flesh into towering mountains, transformed his hair into forests, and his will into a brave mountain monkey, sealing the entity within the blood pool.】 【As time passed, the long years caused the seal to weaken, and the cultivator's corpse transformed into a bloodthirsty monster, driven by unwavering determination, which stole four pieces of the Forest Heart.】 【Task Requirements: The blood pool lies at the heart of the city, protected by four magical arrays. Defeat the evil cultivator and reclaim the "Forest Heart" gems to reinforce the seal.】 Indeed, as I had anticipated, no decryption was needed—the mission objectives were clearly and directly stated. The Shānshén faction aimed to reclaim the Heart of the Forest; thus, the Shānguī faction's objective must be to prevent us? Two factions engaged in battle around the four fragments of the Heart of the Forest? Zhang Yuanqing silently analyzed this in his mind. Everyone else remained silent, digesting and reflecting on the mission details. The soldier in camouflage pants remarked, "Our situation is unfavorable—the Shānguī faction is supported by xī xiū practitioners, so the outlook isn't optimistic." Tianxia Guihuo added, "Those aren't xī xiū practitioners; they are monsters evolved from the lingering consciousness and remains after his death. They're not at their peak—perhaps no more than early level 4. Thus, the Shānguī faction can at best match our strength." The group proceeded along the broken highway, deepening into the urban ruins. As they spoke and walked, they encountered deer, wild dogs, monkeys, and other animals darting about in the ruins of the city, fleeing at the sight of strangers approaching, watching from a distance with wary eyes. At that moment, the Peony Immortal Maiden gently sniffed the air and said, "There's a blood scent..." Just as she finished speaking, the group walking steadily ahead saw the scene unfolding: in a tall patch of grass, a group of wild dogs were feeding on a body. The corpse had only recently died, and the blood was still fresh. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes narrowed slightly. He recognized the deceased—Lingjing ID "Justice in the Blade," a fourth-ranked Wuguo practitioner on the Free Practitioners List, even surpassing the level of "Gazing into the Cauldron to See the Oyster." How had he died here? Had there been an internal conflict within the Mountain Ghost faction? Jiang Jingwei launched several fire balls, driving away the wild dogs feeding on the body. The group stepped forward. The river guard knelt down, examined the body, and said, "His neck was crushed, and his heart was removed. There are no other wounds. He died swiftly and decisively—there was no time for the parasites to take hold. The person who did this was both powerful and terrifying." Zhang Yuanqing's face grew serious. "We've misunderstood everything. Our interpretation of Task Four is completely off."